Healing Wounds
by kjt1
Summary: Set after the end of S2, Castle returns to Beckett's side after an accident.  Can more than just the physical wounds be healed after their time apart?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: This is the first fic I have written in a looooong time and my first for Castle. If you hear any creaking as you read, it's just the rust that fell off my fingers as I typed.

Thanks: A huge thanks to Tanya Reed, who kindly agreed to beta this for me and did a wonderful job - I happily stole some of her suggestions.

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own 'em. If I did, Rick Castle would be dressed up as Mal Reynolds more than just at Halloween ;-)

Spoilers: Through the end of Season 2, but ignoring those for S3

Rating: T (just to be on the safe side)

**

* * *

****Healing Wounds**

"Esposito! How are you?" Castle said cheerfully into the phone after seeing the caller ID, glad to hear the voice of someone from 12th precinct. It was just after 9am and Rick was sitting out on the deck of his house in the Hamptons, the surf rolling in front of him and his laptop perched at his side.

"I'm good, Castle, how are you?"

Castle paused before replying, taking a moment to glare at his laptop where the next chapter of 'Naked Heat' was meant to be filling the screen. "I'm good," he finally said, "what's up?"

"Uh, the reason I'm calling you, is, uh..." Esposito hedged, suddenly wishing he hadn't been the one to lose the coin toss and have to make the call. Ryan had taken off to the break room, not wanting to witness what he suspected was about to happen, even through the phone.

"What's going on?" Castle asked, his mind starting to go into overdrive as he realised from his friend's tone of voice that it wasn't just a general chit-chat call.

Taking a deep breath and staring across the bullpen at the empty desk where his co-worker should be, Esposito finally said, "It's Beckett."

At the other end of the phone, Rick Castle jumped up from his seat and started pacing. "What about her? Is she okay? What's going on?" After a few seconds of silence he pressed, "Esposito, what's happened?"

"She's okay, but she was in an accident late last night," Javier Esposito expelled in a rush, quickly wishing he'd started the phone call differently. He had hoped to limit the pain he knew his buddy was going to be feeling now, as he no doubt let his mind think the worst.

"What kind of accident? How 'okay' is she?"

Esposito dropped his head into his free hand and took another deep breath. "Car accident. She was t-boned. Look, she's okay, but I just thought you'd want to know."

"Did she ask you to call me?" Castle wondered, and his heart fell a little as he was met with silence.

Finally, Esposito told him, "No, but to be honest, she's not really been awake enough to say much. She has a badly broken arm, it actually needed surgery, but she also has a couple of broken ribs and one of them... it, uh... it punctured and collapsed her lung." He heard the sharp intake of breath from Castle and continued, "Like I said, she's okay, but she has a chest tube in and is going to be in hospital for a few days, then out of action for a while longer."

"She's really going to be okay?" Rick asked in a quiet voice, concern evident in his tone. When Esposito confirmed she was, he asked for and was given the details of the hospital. "Guess I'd better send some flowers or something."

"Actually, if you have any of that book written, maybe you should send it over, give her something to read, " Esposito suggested with a smile.

"Oh no, if she wants to read it before it's finished, she's going to have to do better than that," Castle chuckled, his panic somewhat alleviated, but then added, "Hmm, maybe it's not such a bad idea. When she sees some of what I've written, it'll probably be good motivation for her to get up and out of bed, if only to kick my ass."

"Another page 105, huh?"

"Oh, and then some," Castle smiled.

Kevin Ryan walked over at that moment and motioned to the clock. "Listen, Castle, I gotta go, we need to track down the guy who did this to Beckett," said Esposito.

That got Castle's attention. "You don't know who did it?"

"No. Witnesses said he rammed into Beckett, reversed and took off. Didn't sound deliberate, though. He ran a red light, probably drunk."

"Esposito?"

"Yeah?"

"Go catch the bastard."

"Yeah."

* * *

Lanie Parish opened the door quietly and stepped outside, or tried to at least. "Oof," was the reponse from herself and the person with whom she collided. It took a moment, but a head finally peeked around the side of a huge bouqet of flowers.

"_Castle_? What are _you_ doing here?" Lanie asked in surprise.

"I'm here to see Beckett," he replied with a 'well, duh' look.

Lanie pushed him further into the hallway so that she could properly close the door to her friend's hospital room and then pinned him with a look. "How did you know she was here?"

"Esposito called me, thought I'd want to know." At Lanie's continued glare, Castle took an automatic step backwards. "Is there a problem with me being here?"

"Depends on why you're here," she replied, still eyeing him warily. "Where did you come from anyway, I thought you were in the Hamptons?"

"I drove here as soon as Esposito called, just got in actually, and I'm here because I want to see how the patient's doing."

The sincerity and concern in his voice chipped Lanie's barriers and she decided to give a little. "The patient isn't being so patient." Castle grinned and she continued, "She's desperate to get out of here and back to work, even though that's not going to be happening for a while, or at least not active duty."

Straightening his shoulders and gripping the flowers more tightly, Castle moved towards the door to Beckett's room.

"She's sleeping," Lanie stated, stepping in front of the door again to stop him. "They gave her something to knock her out, she'll be out for a while."

"I'm in no rush," he replied as he reached around her to grasp the door handle.

"Castle, you don't think that watching someone sleep is rather... creepy?" A shrug was her only reply and she pointed out, "You know she hates it when you watch her do paperwork, how do you think she'd like you watching her sleep?"

"She's asleep, how will she know?" he smiled. "I at least need to drop off the flowers."

Stepping aside, Lanie nodded. "Okay, drop off the flowers and then leave. I've got to go to work, but I'll be back later." His cellphone rang at that moment and she looked from him to the phone and back again, pointedly. "No cellphones in the room."

He glanced at the phone and saw Gina's name on the caller ID before turning it off. "No problem, I don't want to take this call anyway. Is there anything I can do for her, get for her?" he asked genuinely.

"No, like I said, she's asleep. I'll stop by her apartment before I come back, pick up some things for her." As Castle opened his mouth to speak, she put up a finger and glared at him. "Don't even think about it, Castle, no way are you going to her apartment to pack her bag. Don't wake her when you go in and by that I mean no shaking her just to _check she's okay_, they gave her pills because she needs the sleep. I'll see you later."

A thought suddenly struck him and he moved away from the door handle like he'd been electrocuted. "Is Demming in there with her?" he asked, unable to keep the distaste from his voice.

Lanie couldn't decide which of the warring emotions evident on his face was winning; the jealousy, concern, or hurt. She knew Kate may kill her for it later, but she opted to tell him the truth. "No, he's not, they broke up."

"Really, when?" Castle asked eagerly, a look of relief crossing his face and a smile beginning to reach his eyes.

"About four weeks ago."

That puzzled him as he did some mental math. "I only left for the Hamptons four weeks ago." Lanie nodded. "When exactly did they break up?"

"Right before you left," she told him pointedly, then glared at him again as she asked, "How's Gina? She can't be happy you've left her in the Hamptons to come here and see Kate."

Not thinking about the question, too busy doing an internal victory punch at the news of the Demming-Beckett relationship demise, he automatically responded, "She's not in the Hamptons, she's here in New York."

"You brought her with you?" Lanie almost yelled, suddenly wishing she hadn't revealed the Demming information. He had looked so upset and had literally dropped everything to rush to New York, she hadn't considered that he would have brought Gina.

"No. Why would I bring her with me?" Castle was completely confused, but as Lanie continued to glare, he began to get a clue. "You thought that... Oh, no, that lasted about two days, just long enough for her to read me the riot act about getting the book finished and to concentrate on my writing in future, rather than playing – and I quote – 'cops and robbers all day long'."

"She wants you to quit the precinct?"

"Yeah, said something about me having enough research material for fifty books by now."

Lanie smiled knowingly at his words, remembering Javier's recounted tale of what he'd said to Beckett. "So, are you quitting?"

"Only thing I'll be quitting is Black Pawn if Gina makes that suggestion again," he said with conviction. "Anyway, I'm going to drop these off, I'll see you later, Lanie." Without giving her time to reply, he moved around her fully to open the door and went inside, closing the door behind him. Lanie stared after him, knowing he likely wouldn't be leaving anytime soon and knowing that if he woke up Kate, she'd be chewing his ass out for it later.


	2. Chapter 2

It was nearly 4 hours later when Lanie entered Kate's hospital room and found Castle sitting there, staring at her like she would disappear if his eyes left her for even a moment. Striding over to him, she grabbed him by the ear and hauled him into the corridor without a word.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Castle emitted a very loud, "Ow! Apples! What the hell?"

"What did I tell you about staring at her while she sleeps, Castle?"

"That it's creepy," he replied like a chastened child. "But in my defense, I did as you asked and didn't wake her up, so she doesn't even know."

Shaking her head in pity, Lanie said, "That doesn't make it okay. Have you been here the entire time?" He nodded and her head shake grew even bigger. "And you've just been watching her sleep?"

At that he cracked a smile and gleefully told her, "No, I've been writing."

"I didn't see your laptop open in there," she said suspiciously.

He held up a notepad and pen, "Reverted to manual style, in case my typing woke her and evoked your wrath, you napoleonic power monger."

"The who now?" she demanded, pulling the notepad toward her so she could check it did actually contain writing.

"Uh, did you ever watch the TV show Stargate: SG1?" he asked. At her negative response, he commented, "There's a character in it, Dr Frasier, you remind me a lot of her." She glared at him and he hurriedly added, "It's a compliment, really. She kept the team fit and healthy, was a confidante to the female lead... I'm not helping myself, am I?"

"No, you're not. Now go home, Castle."

"I'll go once she's awake and tells me herself that she's okay." His tone brooked no argument and Lanie decided that it might do Kate good to see him, though she'd like to be able to deliver the Gina news first.

"At least go and get yourself something to eat." He was about to protest, so she pulled out the big guns, "And sort out your hair, it's a mess." Instinctively, his hand went to his head and he rushed off in search of a restroom. Lanie chuckled and muttered, "So easy", before entering her friend's room.

* * *

Kate Beckett sat up in bed and scrubbed a hand over her face, listening as Lanie explained about Castle's impromptu visit and the latest information on Gina-gate. She had no intention of revealing her thoughts on the Gina news, even to Lanie, but hadn't been able to withhold a grimace when Lanie admitted she'd told Castle that Demming was gone. The past four weeks had been stranger than she'd have ever thought possible. Castle had wormed his way into her life more than she'd realised and being apart had been a challenge, but she had overcome it, like all the other obstacles in her life. However, she still hadn't figured out what was next and hadn't expected to have to decide just yet; the accident had thrown her for a loop in more ways than one.

"So, where is he?" she finally asked. Lanie told her about the 'hair' comment and Kate couldn't help but laugh, even though it physically hurt. "Well, I guess we have at least an hour before he's preened himself again," she smiled. The words were no sooner out of her mouth than the door opened and Castle strolled in carrying a tray with three coffees. He placed two on the table over Kate's bed, discarded the cardboard carrier and sipped from his own cup.

Eventually he spoke. "Detective Beckett," he motioned to the coffees, "I wasn't sure if you'd be allowed to drink coffee at the moment, but I thought not bringing you one might get me in more trouble than tempting you."

She was surprised that his first words to her were about coffee, but was also pleased that he was easing them back into conversation gradually. "Thanks, but from previous experience I know that the coffee here is even worse than the precinct's. Or at least, what the precinct's used to be."

"Before my incredibly generous gift, you mean." He grinned, puffing out his chest a little. "And you're right, this is awful," he said with displeasure as he took another sip of coffee.

She rolled her eyes before replying, "The _gift_ you bought because _you_ didn't want to drink the other stuff."

"Remember the saying, Detective, never look a gift horse in the mouth. After all, you never know when they might stop arriving."

His words were meant to be light, but they still caused her heart to lurch, reminding her a little too much of their own situation. Before she could retort, Lanie cleared her throat and announced that she would leave them to catch up. Crossing to the door, she caught Castle's arm and quietly but firmly told him, "She needs rest. If you upset her, I _will_ know about it and I'll return to kick your ass back to the Hamptons before you can blink."

Just as quietly he replied, "Why would I upset her?" with a look of confusion on his face, but Lanie didn't clarify as she left the room.

The silence became deafening as Castle took a seat in the recently vacated chair beside the bed, still sipping his coffee. Lanie had taken the other two with her, drinking one and promising to dispose of the other.

"So, how are you doing?" he finally asked.

Kate shifted, trying to loosen the chest tube slightly without dislodging it completely, then raised her arm so he could see the cast. "I'm fine. I'll be great when I get out of here and back to work."

Looking at her seriously, he commented, "You know that won't be happening for a while, right?" The glare she gave in reply told him he had stated the obvious and that she didn't appeciate the reminder. Pulling the chair closer to the bed, he placed his coffee cup on the table, a way to stall for time as a multitude of thoughts went through his mind. "I did hear though, that if you're a good girl, they'll let you out of here in a couple of days, but no work." Another glare levelled at him and he bravely pressed on, "And you're going to be a good girl, right, Detective?"

"Are you enjoying this?" She regretted the harsh tone once the words left her mouth, as she knew he was trying to cheer her up, not upset her. The brief look of hurt on his face before he schooled his expression back to his normal grin only made her feel worse. "I'll do whatever I have to do to get out of here as soon as possible."

Castle's grin faded again when he heard the tone of defeat in her voice, but he forced it to return and aimed for more teasing. "If you're really nice to me, I might bake you a cake with a file in it, so you can use it to bust outta here." It earned him an eye roll, but the accompanying smile lightened his heart.

Kate started to re-position herself on the bed and he immediately jumped up to help her, grabbing pillows and placing them where requested. "How's the book coming?" she asked as he sat back down, wanting to change the subject from her predicament.

He waited a moment to consider his answer before replying, "Well, the good news is I've written two more chapters."

"And the bad news?"

He groaned. "I have twenty-five more to go."

It was on the tip of her tongue to comment on the fact that Gina was supposed to be 'on top of him' while he wrote, but she couldn't bring herself to say the words, instead opting for, "What _have_ you been doing since you left then?"

"Hey, it's not easy to write a book, you know," he said defensively before looking pointedly at her. "It takes time to craft a book, especially when you're dealing with a main character who is sarcastic to you, even in your head."

Smiling both inwardly and on the outside, Kate suddenly noticed how tired he looked. Even with the few words he'd said about the book, she could tell how frustrated he was and she wondered whether his frustration was just because of his lack of progress, or if there was something else too. "So, when are you heading back to the Hamptons? Tonight?" She knew it was only a few hours drive, but she figured that since he'd been so sudden in his departure from the precinct, he obviously either wanted, or needed, to be there.

His look of surprise was genuine as he replied, "I have no idea, I haven't given it any thought."

"Really?" A slight note of pleasure was evident in her voice and he stared at her for a few moments before smiling wickedly.

"Yup. In fact, I'm thinking I might change the book altogether now." He interrupted her question before she could utter the first word, "Everything but the title and cover, that is. Maybe I should have Nikki get injured, perhaps in a car accident, then have Rook keep her company while she recovers. Of course, I'd need to do some research for that." Levelling his gaze at her firmly, watching for the slightest reaction, he questioned, "Know anywhere I could do that?" The slight inhalation of quickened breath was the only indication she allowed to show that his musings were affecting her.

The inhalation then turned into an exhale, in the form of a yawn, and she fought to keep her eyes open. "Sorry, I guess whatever they gave me is still in my system." She wasn't ready to give in to sleep though and asked, "I imagine your editor is rather... annoyed at your lack of progress?"

Automatically he responded, "Do you mean with the book, or my _emotional growth_?" At Kate's look he added, "Sorry, little bit of Gina-hate showing through there. Yes, she is rather annoyed, well she's completely pissed at me actually, but that's nothing new."

"Does she know you're back in New York?"

He shook his head. "No, but since I've missed her daily check-in call, aka 'yell at Rick until he writes', I imagine she's launching a search party right about now to protect Black Pawn's investment."

Kate rolled her eyes, but was inwardly pleased that he was being so derisive about Gina. "You've been here for hours, haven't you called her?"

"Nah, where's the fun in that?" he shrugged. "I'm sure she's left countless messages, but the good thing about hospitals is," he held up his iPhone, "cellphones have to be turned off."

"But what if Alexis needs you?" she quizzed.

He tapped his finger to his forehead in an 'I'm smarter than that' gesture and told her, "I sent Alexis a text message right after Esposito called me, so she knows where I am and how to get hold of me if necessary. She messaged me back, by the way, told me to say she hopes you feel better soon and that she's looking forward to seeing you when she gets back."

Another yawn escaped Kate's lips and he cheerfully chastised her, "Is my talk of my daughter boring you?" She rolled her eyes in response but couldn't stifle yet another yawn. Having drained the last of his coffee, Rick stood up. "I should leave you to sleep, but I'll come back later, if that's okay?" he said almost hesitantly.

"Sure, if you've got nothing better to do. I'll be here," Kate replied, trying for a light tone, but not quite making it, a hint of displeasure at being kept in hospital still evident.

"Something better than spending time with you, is there such a thing?" he commented with a wry grin before briefly clasping her hand and then moving toward the door. "Sleep well, Detective and if you need anything, you have my number."

As he opened the door, Kate said, "Thanks, Castle. Oh, thanks for the flowers too, they're beautiful."

His characteristic smile on his face, he replied, "Beautiful flowers for a beautiful lady," before opening the door and stepping through, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Less than five minutes later, she was asleep.

* * *

TBC...

Thanks so much for the reviews and to those of you who added this to your 'story alert' list, I really appreciate it.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh, I'm sorry," Castle said as he walked into Kate's room and found a doctor with her. He started to leave, but Kate stopped him.

"It's okay, Castle," she told him, "you can stay." The doctor finished anotating the chart and said something quietly to Kate. He then left the room, nodding at Castle as he passed.

"Everything okay?" Castle asked with concern.

"Yeah, just checking on me, everything's fine," she assured him. "I didn't expect you to be back so soon." It had only been a couple of hours since he'd left her to sleep and she had thought he would be gone for a while, if only so he could get some writing done to get Gina off his case.

He shrugged and with a smile told her, "I had a choice of hanging around at home on my own, staring at my laptop and avoiding calls from Gina, or hanging out here, bugging you. Was an easy decision, especially since you don't have your gun at the moment."

"Still no luck with the writing, huh?"

"Not really, though I made a little headway. I have a theory..." He paused long enough for her to roll her eyes in annoyance at his dramatic delay. "I think that being back around you, my muse, has helped. It's inspired me enough to write a few paragraphs that weren't actually awful. So, I think if I hang out here long enough, I might have enough inspiration to write a whole chapter and then, with more time, who knows, I might be able to finish the book." He flashed her a grin, which broadened when she rolled her eyes again.

"But if you hang out here, when are you actually going to have time to write? Assuming I let you hang out here, that is." She cocked her head at him, awaiting his response, beginning to feel their easy banter returning.

"Ah, my dear Beckett, I come from the school of 'sleep is over-rated', therefore I will go home and write when you are sleeping and be here when you're awake."

"You don't think you're a little _old_ to burn the candle at both ends?" she posited, holding his gaze.

"You wound me, Detective," he said with a hand over his heart. "So, what shall we do to pass the time?"

Ignoring his waggling eyebrows, Kate replied, "I'm going to sleep." Her attempt to get rid of him elicited a laugh.

"Not a chance, I can tell you're not sleepy." He produced a pack of cards from his jacket. "Strip poker?" Looking her up and down, noting the hospital issue gown that she hadn't yet changed out of due to the chest tube, he offered with a leer, "I'll even get myself into the same state of dress, or should I say _undress_, as you."

"Give it up, Castle," she smiled.

"I keep trying, but you keep turning me down," he grinned, but the look on her face caused the grin to fade. "Are you okay?" he asked seriously.

Kate mentally kicked herself. She thought she'd gotten over it in the last four weeks and although she'd been glad to hear things hadn't worked out between Castle and Gina, she had told herself it didn't mean anything to her, it wasn't like it would make a difference to them. He obviously wasn't really interested in giving them a shot, otherwise Gina wouldn't have been back in the picture, right? His joke about her turning him down got to her though and made her think of the old adage 'too little too late' all over again. She had spent the first two weeks they were apart continually asking herself 'what if'. What if she'd never met Demming? What if she'd accepted his Hamptons invite and broken it off with Demming earlier? Would he have still invited Gina back into his life? After two weeks of metaphorically beating her head against a brick wall, she had put a stop to it, telling herself that none of his comments about them getting together had ever really been serious, there was always that underlying tone of playboy. Hearing him make the comments again, in the same jokey tone, hurt. He had once told her that the heart wants what the heart wants, but she had given her heart a stern talking to and she was not impressed with its insubordination now.

"Beckett, are you okay?" he repeated, his tone more urgent as he moved to stand beside her bed.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she confirmed. "Deal the cards, Texas hold 'em."

"What are we betting?" he asked, eyeing her salaciously.

She thought for a moment, then suggested hopefully, "The number of days that you'll leave me alone to recover in peace?"

"Minutes," he rebutted immediately. "I'll accept the general terms, but the unit of bet is minutes, not days."

Kate was surprised he was agreeing so readily and decided to offer a compromise. "Hours, we'll bet in hours."

"Done! But if I win, it means I get to spend more time with you," he pointed out, watching her smile falter slightly as she realised the ramifications of their bet.

After a few seconds of silence, she asked, "How are you going to spend _more_ time with me, Castle? You've already said that you plan to be here whenever I'm awake."

Her comment reminded him that she hadn't actually argued when he'd told her that, something that pleased him immensely. "Yes, but I said I'd go home when you slept. Now I'll stay then too."

"And watch me sleep? You don't think that's rather creepy?" She tried use a serious tone and look, but his mere presence had its usual effect and she couldn't help but smile.

"Probably," he shrugged, "but I'm a mystery writer, I'm meant to be creepy." He then let out a very loud evil laugh and Kate shook her head while laughing at him.

"It's a moot point anyway, I guess, since I'm going to win." She was also assuming that he wouldn't actually hold her to it, since she knew he needed to write.

"Detective, you are a very good poker player, I'll admit, but you're currently laid up in a hospital bed with a chest tube hanging out of you, broken ribs and an arm in a cast," he paused, suddenly feeling an urge to look her over one more time, just to make sure she really was okay, before continuing with a grin, "you're probably not going to be firing on all cylinders right now, so you have no chance."

"And you're going to take advantage of that?" she queried, rolling her eyes when his head bobbed up and down quickly and his eyebrows waggled. "Always the gentleman, huh, Castle?"

His only response was to deal the cards.

* * *

TBC...

Sorry this one is a bit shorter than usual, but it seemed like a good place to stop, so that the next part flows properly.

Thanks for the continued reviews and story alerts, etc.


	4. Chapter 4

By the time Esposito and Ryan arrived almost two hours later, Castle had become a gloating poker victor and written half a chapter of his book. Beckett had taken a nap, waking only a few minutes before the boys arrived. She and Castle were talking quietly but animatedly about Nikki Heat's motivations during a particular plot point, though she was frustrated by the fact he wasn't telling her the full story, only giving little nuggets of information, when the door opened.

"Hey, Castle," both detectives said as they entered. Castle jumped up from his seat to greet them vigorously, with much back-slapping and man-hugging.

Beckett cleared her throat, loudly, to get their attention after it had gone on too long, but when that didn't work she commented, "Enjoying your bromance there, boys?" All three whirled around, mock-glares adorning each face.

Castle was the one to retort first. "Jealousy doesn't become you, Detective Beckett. If you feel you're missing out, I'd be happy to hug you," he offered with a smirk.

"Ah, I would, but..." she held up her injured arm, "can't. I'm so disappointed too." Her voice held just the right amount of sarcasm and Castle could only give her another mock-glare, increasing the size of her grin.

It didn't take too long before he finally thought of a reply though and told her almost seriously, "Don't worry, I'll add it to your hug credit and will pay out when you're feeling better."

"Hug credit?" She raised her eyebrows. "Not necessary."

"Oh, I insist, can't have you missing out now, can we?"

"Can't wait," she muttered while rolling her eyes, annoyed at him getting the last word, yet again. Esposito and Ryan were both wishing they had some popcorn as they watched the show from the sidelines, exchanging grins with each other and silently communcating their mutual pleasure at Castle and Beckett getting on so well already, despite the way things had transpired on Castle's last day in the precinct.

Deciding he should help out his colleague and friend, who was now sighing loudly in irritation as she realised that Castle had written on her cast while she had been sleeping, Esposito stepped into the fray. "We didn't know what to bring you, so I hope this is okay?" He produced a fruit basket from behind his back and pushed past Castle to place it on the nightstand.

Beckett nodded. "Thanks, guys." She then turned her attention back to Castle. "You wrote on my cast without my permission?"

"I did," he confirmed, with not even the slightest hint of guilt. "Make sure you get them to cut it off carefully, imagine how much you can sell it for on Ebay since it has some plot notes for the book."

"It does?" Her eyes switched to the cast, which she hadn't actually read, having just glanced at it and recognised the handwriting.

He shrugged. "Nothing special, just the plot point we were discussing earlier, but it's got my favorite line."

"Why did you feel the need to write plot notes on my cast?" she quizzed, shaking her head even as she asked, not sure she really wanted to know the answer. Her eyes were still reading what he'd written and she was trying to figure out which of the two lines of speech on the cast was his favorite.

His reply was instant, as if he'd been waiting. "No post-it notes with me, so that was the nearest thing."

"You have a laptop right there, and a notepad," she pointed out.

"I do," he acknowledged, then nodded to the cast, "but that was more fun. Besides, you should be proud, look how stealthy I was to write on it without waking you up. I learned that from you." She had to give him that one, his stealth tactics had definitely improved.

Esposito returned to his original spot beside Ryan at the door. "Do you think they'd notice if we left?" he stage-whispered, eliciting a chuckle from his partner.

"Probably not," Ryan replied, "but Lanie did ask us to make sure Beckett doesn't injure herself more when she strangles him."

There was a lull in Castle and Beckett's debate, only brief, but enough for Beckett to realise there was another conversation happening in the room and that they weren't alone. Castle got the hint when she glared at him.

"So, guys, what have you been up to the last four weeks?" Castle asked them both.

"Little of this, little of that," Esposito replied.

"What's her name and did she really tell you it was little? That had to hurt," Castle grinned, bumping fists with Ryan as they laughed.

His mouth falling open but no sound coming out, Esposito looked at Beckett, but even she was laughing. "Don't look to me for support," she told him, "you're the one who invited him here."

Worried she might be pissed at him for calling Castle, even though she seemed to be enjoying the company, despite her protests, he said, "I knew he'd want to know and I figured you'd want him to. He'd have heard about it one way or another, eventually."

"It's okay," she assured him, "though you're helping me bury his body when I lose it with him."

Castle interjected before Esposito could reply, "And just what are you going to lose with me, Detective? I thought you were more... worldly than that, but if not, I'd be happy to -"

She cut him off with a glare. "Don't push it, Castle, you're outnumbered right now."

He looked to the guys but they nodded their heads. "What she said," they stated in unison.

Castle's grin faltered a little before he turned serious and told Esposito, "Thanks for calling me, I appreciate it. I know I haven't been in touch since I've been gone, but I haven't forgotten about you all, it's just that I had to focus on the fictional characters, not the real ones."

"It's okay, Castle, we understand," Beckett said, though she quickly wondered why she'd let him off the hook so easily. If his excuse was true, why was he back now, with no clear intention of leaving, when his book still wasn't finished?

Rick decided to give the detectives some alone time and told them he was going to get something to eat, now that they were there to look after her.

"I'm not a child, Castle, I don't need a babysitter," Beckett bristled.

"Yet look what happens when you're left alone," he replied softly, his worry for her showing through. She met his gaze, but the intensity of his almost burned through her and she dipped her head. "Can I bring you anything back?" he offered. When he received a negative response he popped his laptop in its bag and took it with him as he left the room in search of the cafeteria.

Taking a seat at one of the empty cafeteria tables, Rick pulled out his cellphone and turned it on. He took a bite of his sandwich as he waited for the phone to boot up, quickly regretting not stepping out for something to eat earlier, while hot food was still being served rather than just stale sandwiches from a vending machine. The phone beeped, signalling new messages, and he groaned as he saw that there were five missed calls from Gina, three text messages and five voicemails. One of the text messages was from Alexis, and he happily called her first, giving her an update on Kate.

Ten minutes later, after he'd caught up on all the news from Princeton and assured his daughter that Beckett would be fine, Alexis asked him, "Dad, have you called Gina and told her where you are?"

"Why do you ask?" he queried carefully.

"Because she left me a voicemail a little while ago asking if I knew where you were. She said she'd been trying to get hold of you all day but that you're not answering and, although she suspects it's just because you're procrastinating on the book again, she's beginning to get worried. I haven't called her back yet, do you want me to?"

He smiled at her offer, knowing she was willing to step into the breach for him, but he declined. "Thank you, but I should take care of this one myself."

"Are you going to go back to the Hamptons to finish the book?"

"Not unless Beckett comes with me when she's released from hospital," he responded, shocking himself with the force of the thought.

"Do you think she will?" Alexis asked hopefully. "The Hamptons would be a great place to recuperate."

"I don't think she'd agree with that statement," he said somewhat sadly. "Being cooped up with me probably isn't her idea of paradise."

Alexis recognised the tone in her father's voice as something she didn't hear very often, lack of confidence. "You'll never know if you don't ask, Dad."

"True," he agreed.

"So will you? Ask her?" she pressed. Rick smiled, knowing full well where Alexis got her 'don't give up' attitude from.

"Maybe," he replied. It was all he could say. He knew he would love to have Beckett in the Hamptons with him, alone, hell he'd even asked her before, but right now the priority was for her to get well enough to be released from hospital; he'd think about the rest later. "I'd better go," he sighed, "need to call the she-devil."

"Dad, that's no way to talk about my ex-stepmother," Alexis chastised through a chuckle.

"You knew who I was talking about though!" he defended. "Take care, I love you."

"I love you too, Dad. Good luck."

The dial tone resounded in his ear as Alexis ended the call and he stalled for more time by eating the rest of his sandwich, washing it down with a Dr Pepper. He knew exactly what Gina would ask and he knew she wouldn't like his answers. The two text messages she'd sent him were bad enough, demanding that he call her and telling him that he'd better have a good excuse for avoiding her calls. Her voicemails were worse, each one highlighting the progression in her ire, the final message being all-out anger and a threat of what would happen if he missed the deadline again.

He knew it was immature, but he opted to send a text message instead of returning her calls in person. It took him three attempts to convey what he wanted to say concisely but firmly, taking into account that she was his ex-wife and knew him well.

_Sorry for absence, family emergency. Am at hospital, limited cellphone availability. Not Alexis or Mother, so don't worry. Back in NYC and may be for a while, but still working on book. It will be fine. Will be in touch soon._

He hit send, waited for a delivery confirmation and then switched off the phone, crumpled up his sandwich wrapper and tossed it and the empty soda can into the trash before striding out of the cafeteria.

Passing the 24 hour gift store on the way back to Beckett's room, Rick stopped. He'd been gone nearly thirty minutes and was eager to get back, but an idea occurred to him and he stepped into the store to see if he could make the idea come to fruition.

TBC...

Thanks for the continued reviews, etc. Much appreciated

Continued thanks to Tanya Reed for the fabulous beta


	5. Chapter 5

Castle entered Beckett's hospital room to the sound of raucous laughter. "Having fun without me?" he asked with mock-hurt, secretly pleased that Beckett was feeling well enough to laugh heartily.

"More like having fun at your expense," she told him through another laugh.

He crossed to the opposite side of the bed from Ryan and Esposito, dropping his bag on the floor.

"Glad I could be of service." There wasn't another visitor's chair, so he instead perched on the edge of Beckett's bed, beside her uninjured arm. In hindsight, that wasn't such a good choice as she soon swatted his thigh, trying to move him. Ignoring her attempts, he turned his attention to the two male detectives. "You tracked down who did this to her yet?

Both men shook their heads but it was Ryan who replied, "No. Cameras caught the accident and we got the license plate number, but the car was reported stolen about an hour before and it hasn't turned up yet, so we have nothing, other than confirming it was definitely stolen."

"Stolen car?" Castle mulled it over. "You're sure it wasn't deliberate?" Her apartment being blown up was something that would be in his mind forever and he was worried that Beckett was being targeted again.

"Really doesn't look like it," Esposito replied. "Witnesses said the driver was speeding before the light and the cameras confirmed the car ran straight through a red. We can't rule anything out until we at least find the car, but the captain doesn't see any reason to provide police protection."

Castle turned to Beckett, "You know that deal we had?" She looked at him blankly. "The one where I go home to write when you're sleeping?" She nodded. "Well, it's not happening now. If there's not going to be a police presence outside the door, then I'm staying," he told her.

"Not necessary, Castle." He started to argue but she continued, "We'll discuss this later," as she looked over at Ryan and Esposito before returning her gaze to him so she could give him another glare.

"Beckett?" Ryan said to get her attention. She looked at him, waiting for him to continue. "Are you sure you don't want us to call your dad, let him know you're in here?"

"No, there's no need to worry him, I'll call him when I get out of here. Wait," she paused, her gaze switching to Esposito, "you didn't already call him, did you? Like you called Castle without my permission?"

"No, ma'am," Esposito assured her. "You told us not to call him, so we didn't. You didn't specifically say not to call Castle though," he defended. Rick was eager to ask whether his name had actually been mentioned at all, since it had been unclear when Esposito called him, but resisted, deciding he didn't want to know if the answer was negative.

"We're gonna get going," Ryan stated, standing up and moving towards the door.

"We'll let you know as soon as we get any leads," Esposito said, anticipating Castle's question before he even opened his mouth. "Look after yourself, Beckett. Take care of her, Castle."

Closing the door behind him, Esposito turned to his partner, "Fifty bucks says Castle stays here tonight."

Ryan shook his head, "I'm not betting against that, it's a sure thing."

* * *

"Castle, go home, you really can't be comfortable like that," Kate said, looking over at him in his makeshift bunk of the two visitors chairs aligned with a gap in between breached by his long legs.

He waved away her concern. "I'm fine, go to sleep." His laptop was sitting on his thighs as he re-read what he'd written during her earlier nap. It was actually good, leading him to believe that his theory was correct; the more time he spent with Kate Beckett, the better his book was becoming.

"Really, Castle, it was just an accident, no-one is out to get to me."

"I'm still staying," he told her firmly. "If it makes you feel better, think of it as a favor to me, I don't want to be all alone at home."f

"Scared the boogeyman will get you?" she joked.

"No, it makes me miss Alexis too much." She was surprised by his candidness, but wasn't surprised at how genuine his words seemed, she knew how much he adored his daughter.

"Suit yourself then," she said, "but don't complain to me if you have a sore back in the morning."

He looked over at her and grinned. "I'm sure I can find a nurse to give me a massage if it hurts too much."

Kate ignored the comment and closed her eyes, trying to sleep. She could hear him tapping at his keyboard and let out a sigh.

f"Is the noise keeping you awake?" he asked as her eyes re-opened. "I can switch back to my notepad if it is."

She shook her head, the rhythm of his tapping was actually kind of comforting. "No, it's not that, I'm just not that tired." He wasn't tired either, since it was only 9:30pm, but he knew she needed to sleep if she was going to recover as quickly as possible.

"Want me to tell you a story?" he offered.

"Will you let me read the book?" she asked hopefully.

His face creased with amusement. "Not a chance, not until it's finished, but you just reminded me..." He sat up and grabbed his bag from the floor before rummaging through it. "Here you go." He held out what he'd bought in the gift store earlier.

"Comics?" she queried somewhat disbelievingly, taking them from him and rifling through them quickly before casting them aside. "Kid's comics?"

"I know they're not Frank Miller," he defended, "but the gift store has a somewhat limited selection. Those aren't bad though, Alexis used to read them."

"Voluntarily, or because her loving father wanted to read them?" she smiled.

"No comment. I'll get you some better comics tomorrow, I promise, maybe even bring you some books in. Mine, of course." Kate brightened at the thought, but was surprised when she realized it was only the thought of some decent reading material that was cheering her up, rather than the fact that Castle would have to leave her alone long enough to go and get the supplies. Had he wormed his way back in already? "In the meantime, it's those or I tell you a story, though I should warn you, I only tell X-rated stories."

"How has Alexis turned out so well?" she mused aloud, picking up a comic.

"I honestly have no idea," he admitted.

* * *

TBC...

Thanks again for the reviews and alerts. This is going to be wrapped up in about 11 or 12 chapters, so a little bit to go yet, though it is all written, just doing final edits


	6. Chapter 6

Kate Beckett was smiling, eager for Castle to appear in her hospital room. He had taken the opportunity to go home for a shower and a change of clothes around the time the doctor would be stopping by and she was looking forward to giving him the good news. He had been driving her crazy, having taken up residence in her room for the last 48 hours, leaving for only a couple of hours at a time, but she hadn't killed him... yet.

The door opened and she sat up straighter in the bed, his name on her lips. "Hey, Cas- _Gina_? What are you doing here?" she said in shock, wondering what on earth Castle's ex-wife was doing in her hospital room.

"I'm looking for Rick," the woman told her, surveying the room. "Where is he?"

Kate stared at her. Castle had admitted that he still hadn't called Gina and was only communicating with her via text message, so why would he tell her exactly where he was? "He's not here," she finally replied, "I imagine he's writing his book." Even though she knew he was due back any minute, she wasn't going to tell Gina that and was aiming to get rid of the woman as quickly as possible.

Gina let out a derisive laugh. "Writing his book? Yes, if only that were true." Kate schooled her expression and said nothing, willing the blonde to leave. "How are you feeling, by the way?" Gina asked, suddenly remembering her manners.

"I'm fine. I'm tired though and like I said, Castle's not here, so..." she trailed off, hoping Gina would take the hint. It looked like it was about to work as the woman nodded and took a step towards the door, but just at that moment the door opened, effectively trapping Gina behind it, and Castle sauntered into the room.

"Coffee, madame," he said with a smile as he placed a cup onto the table, along with a bear claw. "What did the doctor say?"

Before Kate could reply, or warn him about the intruder, Gina said, "Hello, Rick." He whirled around at the sound, almost spilling his own coffee in the process.

"What are you doing here and how did you find me?" he asked immediately and a little sharply, turning back to Kate briefly with an apologetic look.

"I'm here to find out what the hell is going on and I found you through the power of Twitter. Someone tweeted that they saw you in the cafeteria here early this morning."

"You were Twitter-stalking me?" His annoyance was evident, but there was also a note of pride in his voice, as he knew she'd only learned how to use Twitter during their couple of days in the Hamptons. At first she had thought it was fun, watching him tweet and learning how to search for topics and trends, but then she'd realised how much time he was spending tweeting, time that he should have been using to write. It was when she'd threatened to drop his iPhone in the ocean and cut his internet connection that he'd pretty much thrown her out of his house, telling her it was the final straw after her 'cops and robbers' comment and that he'd work much better if he was on his own. He had been as nice as possible about it, he never liked true conflict, but she'd got the message loud and clear. She hadn't believed he would actually work though, which was why she had been making daily phone calls to check on his progress.

"I had no option! You went AWOL."

"I messaged you," he reminded her, "told you the book would be fine and that I'd be in touch when I could. And I have been in touch, I've sent you messages saying I'm still working and would have chapters to you soon."

She looked pointedly at Kate as she replied, "You said it was a _family_ emergency."

He took an automatic step back, so that he was shielding Kate from Gina, even though he knew there was no real need. "She _is_ family," he stated with conviction, looking at Kate, who felt her heart lurch into her mouth at his sincerity. She looked at him and then closed her eyes briefly, almost as though it were just a long blink, but it was enough to assure Castle that she appreciated his words and wasn't offended by his audacity.

"You need to write, Rick, you can't miss this deadline," Gina pressed.

"I won't miss it, the writing is going great, much better than it was. I can't get a decent internet connection here, but I emailed you three chapters when I was at home, they should be waiting for you when you get back to the office."

Gina pulled out her Blackberry, planning to check her email to see if he was telling the truth, but he stopped her. "No cellphones allowed in here, Gina, but I promise you, the chapters are there." His tone was dismissive and he looked towards the door. "I'll have another couple of chapters done today, if you leave me alone to work on them."

Taking three steps towards him, right into his personal space, Gina reached out a hand and placed it on his chest. "Keep in regular contact, Rick, my job is on the line here."

He reached up and covered her hand with his own, before pulling their joined hands away and lowering them to his side. "I know and I'm honestly not trying to cause you problems, Gina, well no more than normal," he amended with an impish grin. "But sometimes, work has to take second place, some things are more important." He dropped her hand and moved back beside Kate, perching on the edge of her bed. "I won't miss the deadline though, Beckett here is giving me plenty of inspiration." He turned his full attention to Kate, "Right, muse?" He was rewarded with a glare and a hand swatting his thigh, but he used the opportunity to grasp the hand and thread their fingers together.

"I'll be in touch when I've read the chapters," Gina said, opening the door. "I hope you feel better soon, Detective Beckett." She left the room before Kate could even thank her for the sentiment.

"Well, that was awkward," Rick said as he stood up, dropping Kate's hand in the process. "Sorry, I had no idea she'd track me down here."

"It's okay, I can understand why she did. Like she said, her job is on the line."

"It's not as bad as she makes out, but yeah. Though she had no right to come here, especially not when you're laid up like this. I'm sorry." There was no sense of his usual arrogance, only genuine concern that he had upset her and Kate gave him a soft smile.

"Don't worry about it, it's fine. Just keep in contact with her from now on, okay? I think one visit is enough."

"Deal," he agreed, accompanying the word with a sloppy salute. "So, what did the doctor say?"

Kate was silent for a few moments, long enough to note the change of expression on Castle's face, worry lines appearing on his forehead. "You know, for someone who's normally so observant, you're slacking a bit today, Castle."

He stared at her blankly for a second, then let his eyes flit over her body, or at least what he could see above the bed covers. His gaze finally settling near her armpit, comprehension washed over him and he met her eyes. "You've had the chest tube removed!" She nodded. "That's great. Have they said when you can get out of here?

"Tomorrow, all being well."

"That's really great," he said seriously, relief evident on his face. "So, where are you going when you're released?"

She looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"Are you going to be okay at home on your own, with your arm in a cast? Because you know you're always welcome at my place, or at least I hope you know that."

"Thanks, but I'll be fine." He hadn't expected any other answer, but was still disappointed. "Anyway, aren't you going back to the Hamptons? Don't let me interrupt your entire summer plans."

Shaking his head, he looked at her with amused pity. "You're sure you didn't get a head injury in the accident? Because you seem to be having trouble remembering my theory."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Castle, you do not need to be around me to write."

"Possibly not, but I don't really want to put that to the test, not after the last four weeks of torture. I wrote two chapters in four weeks when I was away, yet have written four chapters in the last two days since I've been back, with you."

Head cocked to the side, she queried, "Four chapters? I thought you told Gina you'd sent her three?"

"I did and I have," he confirmed. "But I've written four and am actually halfway through another one, but I'm keeping the extra finished one up my sleeve, ready to pull out when Gina comes after me again."

"Good plan," she chuckled. "So, you're really not going back to the Hamptons?"

"Only if you come with me," he replied, searching her face. She opened her mouth to retort but he cut her off by continuing, "It's not like you can go back to work, so it might be worth considering. Alexis thinks the Hamptons would be a great place to recuperate."

"Alexis told you to ask me?" she quizzed, not sure how she felt about Castle admitting it wasn't his own suggestion, though she wasn't even sure she wanted to be asked in the first place, especially since it was a vivid reminder of his abrupt departure four weeks earlier.

"No, it came up in conversation that I was only going back if you come with me and Alexis thought you should." He met and held her gaze as he asked, "So, what do you think?"

"Thanks for the offer, but no." He couldn't hide his disappointment and Kate felt herself rushing to reassure him. "It's not a bad idea, but I'll have hospital appointments and don't really want to be travelling back and forth to the city to keep them."

Nodding his head in understanding, Rick said, "Fair enough, but I hope you know that I don't really want to eat from the styrofoam temple when I'm at your apartment, so I'll go out and buy some real food to stock your fridge. I'll even cook."

"Why are you going to be at my apartment?" He opened his mouth but Kate answered her own question, "Right, your theory. You know, you do actually need my permission to enter my apartment."

"I know, but I also know you're going to give me permission, because whether you want to admit it or not, you like having me around for company."

"Only because everyone else is working, it's kind of slim pickings." She knew he would see through her words and she wasn't wrong as he recoiled with over-the-top drama, clutching his chest.

"We need to get you back to work quickly, so you can turn your sarcasm back on the bad guys."

"But it's so much more fun with you," she laughed.

* * *

TBC...

Thanks again for the reviews and alerts


	7. Chapter 7

"Dad, there's no need, I'm fine." Kate let out a sigh, wishing she'd waited a few more days to call her father and tell him about the accident. She'd been out of hospital for two days and had initially screened his call, letting it go to voicemail. It was Castle who'd urged her to call him back, pointing out that he was a father too and he'd want to know immediately if Alexis ever got hurt, no matter how old she was. The involuntary shudder he'd given as he even just thought about his daughter being hurt had reminded her that despite how immature and annoying he was, Richard Castle was a damn good father.

Rick was pottering about her kitchen while she made the call, trying not to eavesdrop. He wasn't trying very hard, though, and kept catching snippets – or in fact rather long nuggets – of her side of the conversation. He knew she didn't have the same type of father-daughter relationship as he had with Alexis. Her mother's death and her father's alcoholism had created a chasm that would probably never be fully bridged, but he knew she loved him and that the longer she waited to make the call, the more hurt her father would be about her not telling him sooner.

She had gone back to reassuring her dad that she was fine and Rick busied himself making some coffee, but his ears perked up when he heard his name being mentioned. "Yes, Dad, Richard Castle... No, he's not staying here, but he's helping me out... Yes, Dad, he's making sure I'm resting and not doing too much."

Rick chuckled to himself as he poured the coffee, wondering if he would be the same when Alexis eventually moved out and he wasn't her number one phone call in an emergency. That gave him pause for thought, both about his daughter's future life and about Kate. She had been much more accepting of his help around her home than he'd expected. Was she getting used to having him around? Even when Ryan and Esposito had stopped by and he'd offered to leave them alone, she'd told him it wasn't necessary, that he could stay... as long as he made them all coffee. Only when Lanie arrived to visit had he been asked to leave, but that was by Lanie, not Kate. Was it possible that their current domesticity could eventually lead to something more?

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he walked into the living room and placed her coffee on the table in front of her before moving back towards the kitchen. She covered the phone's mouthpiece and spoke his name, patting a spot on the sofa. Nodding, he quickly retrieved his own mug from where he'd left it in the kitchen and returned to sit beside her.

"Dad, I have to go, Rick's signalling that I need to rest." Castle wasn't sure what surprised him more, the fact she'd just lied to her father or the fact she'd called him Rick, albeit not while addressing him directly. Ending the call, Kate placed the phone on the table and picked up her coffee mug. "Thanks," she said and he wasn't sure if she meant for the coffee or for being there so she had an excuse to get off the phone.

"Do daughters do that often?" he asked. At her curious look he expanded, "The lying to their fathers thing?"

"Do you really want to know?" she smiled. He didn't reply, but his expression looked as though it was a new revelation to him, something he had never really considered before. She wasn't surprised, given the strength of his bond with his daughter. "I don't think Alexis does, if that's what you're asking. After all, it's not like she'd ever need to hide anything from you, nothing she could do would be half as bad as some of the things you've done." He grinned wickedly at her, acknowledging the truth in her statement.

"Why'd you lie to him?"

"Because he was insisting on coming over to stay with me, to make sure I'm taken care of properly, so I thought I'd show him that I already am." Rick was slightly offended at the implication her father thought he wouldn't do a good job, but it was pushed back by his pleasure at hearing Kate say he was looking after her well.

"Even though you won't let me stay here overnight," he finally grumbled good-naturedly.

Emitting a sigh that shouted 'we've been through this before', Kate commented, "Your back would kill you after sleeping on this sofa." He started to protest, considering where he'd slept at the hospital, but thought better of it, knowing she was just using it as an excuse and would soon come up with another one. "Besides, if you were here 24/7, we'd probably kill each other."

"We didn't when you were in hospital and I stayed." His voice held its usual hint of humor, but the slight hitch of breath as he uttered the words spoke volumes.

She looked away, unsure of how to respond. He was right, of course, they hadn't really fought while she was in hospital, or no more than their normal arguments and exasperation with each other, and it had actually been comforting to have him there at night. When the painkillers wore off and she had to kill some time before she was allowed to take more, he had talked to her, read snippets of his books to her, straight from his memory, anything to take her mind off the pain. But that was different, that was in her hospital room, not in her apartment. She couldn't let him stay with her there, in her home, that would create too many memories.

He'd stayed with her once before, when Dunn was after her and she had stayed with him, when her apartment was subsequently blown up, but so much had happened since then. Her forced self-acknowledgement of her feelings for him before he left with Gina had scared her. She'd allowed him to do the one thing she'd told herself she would never let happen; he'd rejected her, whether he knew it or not. Having him around her apartment now during the day and evening was one thing, she could justify it as needing home-cooked meals to keep her energy levels up, but letting him stay overnight would be opening a can of worms that she didn't think she could ever re-seal.

"Castle, don't... please," was all she could say when she finally found her voice again. She wanted to mentally kick herself for the vulnerability she knew was showing in her tone and demeanour, but she didn't have the energy.

She felt him move beside her as he leaned forward to place his now empty coffee mug on the table and she held her breath, waiting for him to speak, expecting either a witty comment, or for him to remain serious, pushing at her walls until they swayed dangerously. He did neither, didn't even look at her, just sat forward with his elbows on his knees and his head cradled in his hands.

Rick knew he was being totally uncharacteristic and he wondered what Kate was thinking, but he couldn't bring himself to search her face for the answer. He had never expected her to agree to him staying overnight in her apartment and it hadn't actually bothered him the previous couple of days, he was content to spend the rest of his time with her. Now he knew that his subconscious thought differently though, giving way to his voice's betrayal as he commented on her letting him stay at the hospital. It wasn't as if she hadn't had a choice there, he knew that with one word to the staff, he'd have been tossed out on his ear, but instead she'd taken advantage of the fact she was a cop and could bend the normal visiting hour rules. So why was it so different for her at home? At least in her apartment she could go to her bedroom to sleep, rather than having him less than two feet from her at all times. He just wanted to be there if she needed help, to take her mind off things if she was suffering from pain.

He had thought they were making progress, getting back to the way they were before Demming came along and ruined them. He knew it wasn't fair to put the blame on Demming, but it was so much easier than facing the truth, something he was not ready to deal with. But what did he want now? Would he be happy to settle for the way they were? Did he want more? Did he _need_ more?

His musings were interrupted by the woman at the center of them. "Castle? Are you okay?" The vulnerability had gone and was replaced by concern, for him.

Dropping his hands to his knees, he turned his head to look at her. "Yeah. Just... gas," he lied, adding a fake burp for emphasis.

"Gross, Castle," Kate said, pushing at his shoulder. And just like that the tension was broken, both of them tamping down any feelings that they weren't yet ready to acknoweldge, even to themselves.

"We need ice cream," he announced, standing up and stretching a kink out of his back. Without another word he strode to the kitchen and started rummaging around in the freezer.

* * *

TBC...

Not so much banter in this one, but I felt we needed to get Castle's perspective on things. Have no fear though, the banter shall return - it's not like Rick Castle can stay serious for long!


	8. Chapter 8

Rick Castle let himself into Kate Beckett's apartment just after 7am. It was the one compromise she'd agreed to, giving him a key so he could come and go if she was sleeping and let himself in if there was a problem. He'd had it since she was released from hospital, but seven days later he had only used it a handful of times as she never seemed to sleep, at least not when he was around. She also had a habit of looking out of the window until he arrived, which she'd grudgingly admitted when he'd quizzed her on how she always knew when to open the door for his arrival. Pleased to see that she wasn't yet up and about, he hurried to the kitchen to whip up a batch of pancakes.

Ten minutes later, he used his elbow to push down on the handle of her bedroom door while carefully balancing a tray containing a stack of pancakes, juice and coffee. Nudging the door open with his foot, he quietly entered her bedroom and placed the tray on her dresser.

"Be-" He stopped, deciding that the usual name didn't fit the current environment. "Kate?" he said in a hushed voice, not wanting to startle her. He suspected that she was usually a light sleeper, the cop in her attuned to every noise, but he knew she was still taking pain medication for her broken ribs, which made her drowsy.

He took a step closer to the bed. "Kate?" he tried again. "Kate? It's me." His volume had increased slightly and it was enough to wake her. She bolted up in bed, arm reaching for the gun in her nighstand, then winced in pain as her arm and ribs protested.

As her eyes opened properly and recognition washed over her, she yelled, "_Castle_? What the hell are you doing in here?"

Rick took two steps backward, arms raised in front of him in defense. "I thought I'd make you breakfast in bed." He nodded towards the tray.

"That key isn't a pass to my bedroom, Castle."

He looked at her, trying to hold back the retort that immediately popped into his head. He failed. "Sorry, what was that? I only heard the words _pass_ and _bedroom_. You're going to have to move over though," he grinned, inching towards her again.

Before she could say anything, her stomach emitted a very loud rumble, causing Castle to stop in his tracks. He retreated to the dresser and retrieved the tray, placing it on her knees. "Sounds like your stomach doesn't want you to argue with me."

The smell of the pancakes getting to her, Kate picked up a fork and took a bite. "Are you just going to stand there and watch me eat?" she asked through a mouthful of food.

"I would sit down, but I think you might shoot me."

"Don't you have pancakes of your own to eat?" The look he gave her caused an eye roll. "You were hoping I'd offer to share, weren't you?" His head started to shake negatively, but at her raised eyebrows it turned to a positive head bob, accompanied by waggling eyebrows.

"Share your pancakes, no. Share your bed, yes," he said suggestively, dodging the pillow she threw at him with her good arm . "That's not nice, Detective, after I went to all the effort of making you breakfast."

She sighed. "You're right, I'm sorry. The pancakes are very nice. Thank you."

"You can thank me properly if you want," he said eagerly.

Nodding her head slowly, she beckoned him closer. He moved so that his knees were touching the side of the bed and then bent down until his gaze was level with hers. "Castle," she said seductively, her voice drawing him closer still, almost as if he was in a trance. She leaned forward until their lips were almost touching, then pulled back quickly and stuffed a pancake into his mouth, "Enjoy."

"You're an evil, evil woman," he proclaimed dramatically as he almost fell backwards, the pancake falling from his mouth as he spoke. It crumbled into small pieces, the smallest of which found their way inside the top of his shirt. Standing up, he used his hands to brush away the crumbs from the outside of his shirt, then started squirming as those inside clung to his chest.

"Got a problem there, Castle?" Beckett grinned as she watched him wriggle around.

"Not at all," he denied unconvincingly. "I'm just going to..." he trailed off, pointing in the general direction of the bathroom before exiting the room. As soon as he was through the door he unbuttoned his shirt and removed it, swiping at the remaining crumbs.

"Hey, Castle?" He poked his head around the door. "Thanks for breakfast," she smiled, then noticed his bare upper arm, where it was just visible by the door jamb. "Are you... where's your shirt?" she asked on a breath.

Realising it was affecting her, Castle stepped back into the room, tossing his shirt behind him. "Pancake debris," he told her, watching as her gaze swept up and down the broad expanse of his chest and arms. "Like what you see?" He flexed his biceps in a bodybuilder style, then made a grunting noise as his shoulderblades protested.

It took a while, but Kate finally got her breathing back under control. However, she still didn't trust her voice and returned her attention to her food. Castle waited a few moments, but finally gave up and retreated to the bathroom to clean up properly.

"Hey, guys," Beckett said as she stepped back to allow Ryan and Esposito to enter the apartment.

* * *

Castle quickly approached and spotted what was in Ryan's hands. "Oooh, lunch," he exclaimed, grabbing the bag of take-out and moving to the kitchen to plate up. The three detectives were left to shake their heads in amusement.

"So, we have news," Kevin Ryan said as they sat around Beckett's living room eating Chinese.

Shaking his head, Castle muttered, "Too easy," elicting a chuckle from Beckett and a glare from Esposito.

"We found the car that hit Beckett," Ryan announced. He heard the distinctive noise of chopsticks being dropped onto the coffee table. Two sets, if he wasn't mistaken. Looking up, he confirmed he was right as both Beckett and Castle had stopped eating and were looking at him eagerly, waiting for him to continue. "Well, _we_ didn't find it," he amended, "15th precinct did. The whole city's been on the lookout for it, you know cops look after their own."

"And?" Castle demanded impatiently, though he made a mental note to send some sort of gift to the 15th precinct.

"Car was burnt out, no recoverable prints," he told them. He wasn't sure whose face fell more, Beckett's or Castle's and he quickly added, "But a camera captured someone running away. Image is pretty bad, but the techs are working on it now, trying to clean it up."

"We've been checking all other cameras nearby, trying to trace the car's route to the dumping point," Esposito informed them. "Nothing so far, but we're still working on it, just needed a break," he motioned to the takeout, "and food."

"Thanks, guys," Beckett said genuinely.

"Yeah, thanks," Castle echoed.

"So, Castle still has all his body parts. I'm impressed, Beckett," Esposito grinned.

Kate felt a blush creeping up her neck as her mind conjured up the memory of seeing a certain body of part of Castle's that very morning, his very bare, very manly chest. "Yeah," she agreed, "but once I'm back to full strength I'm sure normal service will be resumed."

"'_Normal service'_", Castle repeated then leered, "Sounds intriguing, can't wait."

"Though, on second thought, I only need one arm to shoot him," Beckett said pointedly.

"Our offer still stands," Esposito told her, "we'll help you bury him."

"I'm still in the room, you know," Castle grumbled.

"How's the book coming?" Ryan asked, deciding to give his buddy a break.

Rick perked up immediately and answered happily, "It's going great, chapters are flowing easily at the moment. Probably only have another ten to go, plus re-writes."

"So, you'll be finished soon?" Kate asked, not sure whether she was happy about that or not. It would mean he wouldn't need to hang around her so much while she was recovering, since his 'theory' would no longer apply, but on the other hand, _it would mean he wouldn't need to hang around her so much_. Pushing back the thought that she would miss him, she awaited his answer, though she tried to look nonchalant.

"Well, I'll be finished earlier than I expected. But, since I already missed my deadline, I guess I shouldn't be so happy about that," he replied, with a smile that showed he wasn't feeling guilty at all. "But don't worry, Detective, you won't need to miss me," he told her, almost as if he was reading her mind, "it just means I'll have more time to devote full attention to you and your recovery."

"Great," she rolled her eyes.

Ryan placed his empty takeout container on the coffee table, nudging Esposito as he stood up. "We'd better get back to work, bad guys to catch."

"Any juicy cases?" Castle asked, hoping he wasn't missing out on too much.

"You know murderers don't stop just because you two aren't available to catch them," Esposito grinned.

"But you have to work doubly hard to catch them, right?" Castle baited.

"Keep tellin' yourself that, man," he laughed, walking towards the door.

"Let me know if you find out anything more," Beckett requested, receiving nods from both detectives in reply. "And thanks for the food."

"Oh, that reminds me," Ryan stopped. "Castle, you owe me sixty bucks."

"For what?"

"The food."

"Why am I paying?" Castle protested, though his hand was already reaching for his wallet.

"Because you keep telling us you're only spending so much time here to make sure that Beckett looks after herself and eats properly. That means you should be paying for the food." He held out his hand and waited until Castle dropped some notes into his palm. "Thanks," he grinned and followed Esposito out of the door.

"I feel I've been ripped off," Castle complained to Beckett as he dropped onto the other couch.

"You have," she grinned, "in more ways than one. Not only did he get you to pay for the food, there's no way what he bought cost sixty bucks."

He nodded slowly, then announced, "Revenge will be mine!"

* * *

TBC...

Continued thanks for the reviews and alerts, etc. Castle fans rock!


	9. Chapter 9

"Star Wars will always be number one, but Avatar runs a close second," Castle told Beckett as the opening credits of the latter movie rolled on TV. When she didn't argue with his assessment, he couldn't stop a large smile.

"And just how many times have you seen each of them?"

"A few," he hedged, hoping she didn't ever ask Alexis for the specific number. He took a handful of popcorn from the bowl he was holding, then stretched across to offer some to Beckett. "This isn't working," he stated, moving from the couch he was on and settling himself next to Beckett on the other couch so that she could reach the popcorn without him having to move. His writing was going so well, with only three chapters left to write, that he was rewarding himself with a movie night, complete with popcorn and beer.

Kate slouched down a bit more on the couch, propped her feet on the coffee table in front of her and focussed her attention on the screen, trying to ignore the man beside her who was already making joyous exclamations about the greatness of the film. His childlike exuberance was catching and she soon found herself engrossed in the movie as well, even though she had seen it just before the accident, during an 'at home' date with Demming. She realised that she was already forgetting that night, the good memories being quickly replaced by the new ones with Castle.

It wasn't the cliché of 'hands meeting over the bowl', but some of Kate Beckett's barriers melted like the popcorn butter as the movie progressed. The pair sat in complete silence, Castle breaking it every so often with an, "How cool is that?" exclamation, but it was entirely comfortable. He too had propped his feet on the table, legs crossed at the ankles, and the only movements he made were to take a drink from his beer or a handful of popcorn.

"You done with this?" he suddenly asked, startling Kate. He pointed to the popcorn bowl that was still positioned on his lap and she nodded. Stretching forward, he took the remote control and paused the dvd at one of the slower parts of the movie. "I need to pee and refill," he told her at her questioning look, grabbing his empty beer bottle and the bowl to take them to the kitchen.

She shook her head. "Too much information, Castle," she paused and grabbed her empty water glass off the table, "but if you're going..." He took the glass, dumped everything in the kitchen and headed to the bathroom. A few minutes later, when she could hear him making noise in the kitchen, she said loudly, "If it takes you this long to refill a glass and grab a new beer bottle, it's no wonder your writing takes so long."

"Don't interrupt a master at work," he called in reply. She was about to get up and investigate what he was doing when he appeared in front of her, carrying a full wine glass and a small dessert bowl. "For you, madame," he bowed dramatically.

"An ice cream sundae?" she smiled, taking the bowl from his hands and placing it on her lap, then quickly lifting it again as the cold permeated through her jeans.

"My specialty," he said proudly, walking back to the kitchen to grab his own sundae and a beer before retaking his seat. There was no need to sit beside her now, since they weren't sharing popcorn, but neither commented on that fact as he clicked the remote to restart the movie.

"Ouch, brain freeze!" he exclaimed a few minutes later, dropping his spoon into the bowl.

"I'm not surprised, with the rate you're eating that," Beckett commented.

"Ice cream isn't _ice_ cream if you let it melt," he stated dryly. They both fell silent again, watching the movie, the only sound their spoons clanking against the bowls as they ate.

* * *

Rick Castle sat back in his desk chair and flexed his fingers. "Come on, Rick, 2 to go," he said aloud to himself. He had been writing for the previous three hours, ever since he returned from Beckett's apartment. It still amazed him that in the last five days he had churned out eight chapters, eight _good_ chapters. His amazement was nothing compared to Gina's though. She was utterly stunned. She knew that when he put his mind to it he worked very well, but his current pace was a complete surprise, especially since she wasn't even having to request many re-writes.

It was 2am and he knew he should be sleeping, since he had invited himself along to Beckett's hospital check-up the next morning, but he was too wired. He couldn't decide whether to push himself and try to finish another chapter when he was on a roll, even if it meant he'd be a wreck in the morning and be forced to drink hospital coffee to keep himself awake, or if he should go to bed. The outline was already written, the notes were there, and it was the 3rd and 4th last chapters he had to write, the final two already being complete.

Deciding he'd kick himself if he left it and then couldn't pick it up again the next day, he pressed on, determined to finish another chapter. Pausing again, he retrieved his iPhone from his pocket and scrolled to the message that Esposito had sent him while he'd still been at Beckett's.

_Got the bastard. Just a kid who decided it would be fun to steal a car after a night out at a bar. Captain's interrogating now. Figured you'd like to give Beckett the good news. Will call her tomorrow with an update._

He'd felt a huge sense of relief when he'd read the message and had happily relayed it to Beckett. She'd appeared relieved at the news as well, glad it meant that she definitely hadn't been targeted, but he had sensed an underlying current of something else, though he couldn't put his finger on what. While she'd verbally expressed pleasure at the arrest, there was a slight sadness in her eyes that Rick couldn't quite understand. Re-reading the message caused him to question her reaction again, arrogantly wondering if was because it meant he wouldn't be spending as much time with her. She knew he wasn't spending almost all his time with her due to his 'theory', it was mainly because he had still been concerned that the accident wasn't an accident and she needed his protection, even if it was only to make him feel better rather than an actual need. However, could that really be the reason for the sadness? After all, he had no intention of leaving her alone, even now, not unless she asked him to, which he hoped she wouldn't. But, his book was almost finished, so his 'theory' excuse would be dead in the water as well. Would having no real excuse to be around her when she wasn't working become too much? Would it force them to face what they'd so obviously been ignoring? The giant elephant in the room called 'Feelings'?

Fear gripped him and it was enough to cause him to save his work and shut down his laptop for the night. He didn't want them to have to have that discussion, not yet. Sure, he still pushed her buttons, pulled her pigtails and acted like a guy trying to get her to go to prom with him so they could make use of a hotel room afterwards, but that was his way of avoiding the real feelings. The feelings that had re-surfaced so quickly when he'd heard about the accident, making his chest ache like he'd just swum back up to the surface of the ocean from the depths below.

He had suspected that the feelings were reciprocated, even though she would never have admitted it, but then Demming had come along and blown that theory out of the water. At first he'd told himself that she was using Demming as a way of putting some distance between them, generating a personal life for herself so she had a reason to push him away, but then he'd seen them together and he'd been forced to admit she seemed happy. He'd tried to fight for her, at first, competing in a way he knew was entirely childish and would not win any favor with her, but then an overpowering feeling had pushed him to do something else, to walk away and let her be happy. He'd turned to Gina, using her as a safety net, a way to ensure he wouldn't be alone, but that hadn't lasted. She'd seen straight through him and told him the book was her priority, anything else was just a bonus, but she'd still pushed him about Beckett, asking him why he was still hanging around the precinct, pushing him to face up to things that he couldn't yet handle, the wounds still raw.

Since he'd been back in New York, he knew he and Beckett had grown closer again, but he also knew that they weren't ready for anything more, not yet. She had accepted his help while she recovered, more willingly than he'd expected, but he could sense her fear, almost smell it. He hadn't asked her what happened with Demming, knowing she'd shut down if he did. If she wanted him to know, she'd volunteer the information and he suspected she was still processing it herself. All he knew was that the break-up was her decision, Lanie having let that piece of information slip in the hospital one evening, when she'd dragged him to the cafeteria to eat while Beckett was sleeping. As much as he'd wanted to find out more, Lanie's pointed look had told him that it wasn't really a slip of the tongue and that she had no intention of revealing more.

Sighing, he stood up and wandered to his bedroom, setting the alarm for 6:30am to give him enough time to pick up breakfast en route to Beckett's apartment. He knew if he wasn't there early enough, she would text him to say that she'd meet him at the hospital and would then find a way to avoid him there. There was no hope of him being allowed in to see the doctor with her, that much he knew, but he still wanted to be there for moral support, just in case it wasn't as good news as she was expecting.

* * *

TBC...

Once again, thank you for the reviews, etc. I really do appreciate it. The end is near for this fic now...


	10. Chapter 10

"Desk duty?" he smirked, watching her roll her eyes and shake her head. "For how long?"

"Until my arm heals and my ribs are set enough."

"You weren't really expecting anything different, were you? Hardly safe for you to fight bad guys with a broken arm and rattling ribs." He paused and then continued, "Oh, I must make a note of 'rattling ribs' for future use."

She glared at him. "Of course I wasn't expecting to be back on active duty yet, but the doctor says it could be another two months before I will be. Two months!"

"Why so long?" he asked, immediately concerned.

"Because it was such a bad break, the doctor's concerned I might damage my arm again if I go back too soon and he says I still have to be careful with my lung, particularly when the broken ribs haven't fully set."

She started walking towards the exit and he had to hurry to catch up with her. "It's better than nothing though, right? At least you're back at work."

Stopping and turning to face him, she said, "Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to sit on the sidelines while everyone else gets to hunt down leads and make arrests?"

"I think I have some experience of that, yes," he smirked. "At least you're better at following rules than me." They resumed walking and exited the hospital to hail a cab. "When do you start back?"

"I need to talk to Montgomery, but probably Monday."

Castle nodded. It was already Thursday, meaning they only had a few days left before things changed. Once settled in the cab, he turned to her, "So, what exactly does desk duty entail? Just so I can prepare myself."

"Prepare yourself? What do _you_ need to prepare for?"

"Well, if it's just going to be watching you do paperwork, I might bring in my X-Box," he grinned.

"Or, you could just stay at home," she pointed out.

Rick smirked and settled in for the debate he knew was about to ensue.

* * *

Castle had promised to give Beckett some space over the weekend, to allow her to get prepared for returning to work. However, that didn't mean no contact at all, at least not as far as he was concerned.

The knock on the door late Saturday morning startled her. She was lying on the couch reading a book and trying to relax, something that was proving difficult, and she was beginning to wonder if her mind was desiring Castle's presence in her apartment. The majority of the time he'd been there had been spent in silence, him writing and her reading, but it had been comfortable, even when he'd broken the peace to ask a question relating to Nikki Heat. He had taken great delight in asking her how she would react during the sex scene he was writing and even though she knew he was doing it just to annoy her, she'd found herself playing along, enjoying teasing him.

The news that she could go back to work had delighted her, but she wished it was more than just desk duty. Captain Montgomery had assured her that they'd work something out to keep her as active as possible, though she would be confined to the precinct, and she was looking forward to returning. There was a small pain in her chest though, something unrelated to her broken ribs, and she had a suspicion that an x-ray would show it was in the shape of a castle... Rick Castle to be exact.

Things were back to normal between them, whatever normal was, and she wasn't sure if that was what she wanted. She had been very relieved that he hadn't asked her for details on her break up with Demming, but part of her secretly wished he had. At least that might give an indication of his thoughts on the matter.

His constant, unrequested, presence since the accident had been incredibly annoying, but also incredibly eye-opening. She had always known he would do anything to help people, but his recent behavior had proven that she was definitely part of the 'inner circle', those he would drop all pretences around and just be there for, for however long it took and for whatever was required. It was... nice, more than nice, in fact, but she felt something holding her back whenever she started to internally question his motivations. She'd tried to risk it before and had been burned. She dreaded to think what the state of their relationship would be if he'd actually spent the entire summer in the Hamptons, as he'd planned, rather than returning, to her, after four weeks. They'd grown closer since he'd been back, and if he were to reject her again, if that was actually what he'd done before, she didn't think their friendship could survive. She didn't want to question whether he'd really rejected her before, afraid of the answer and the regret it might cause. Her heart told her to push, but her head told her that 'friends' would have to be good enough. The last time she'd listened to her heart it hurt, so friends it would be, until enough evidence indicated otherwise.

Answering the door, she was surprised to find Castle on the other side.

"Missing me already?" she said dryly, stepping back to allow him access to the apartment. He still had her key, for some reason she didn't want to question. She hadn't asked for it back, and he hadn't offered, but he had been good about only using it when he knew she wouldn't mind.

"Always," he smirked.

"Are you here for a reason?" She walked quickly to the couch and placed a cushion over the book she'd been reading, since it was one of his. He knew she was a fan, but it didn't help his already large ego when he caught her reading his work.

"Do I need one?" he shrugged. She sent him a look that said her patience was waning and he tried, "I was in the neighborhood." She didn't buy it. "I was, really, had a breakfast meeting with Gina to discuss the final edits."

"Final?"

"Yup," he nodded. "The book is done! That's the other reason I'm here." She raised her eyebrows and waited for him to continue. "I'm taking you to dinner tonight. We need to celebrate."

"Why do _we_ need to celebrate _you_ finishing your book?"

"Without you there wouldn't be a book," he said honestly. "Plus, we need to celebrate your return to work, which of course is due to the excellent care I've given you during your recovery." She rolled her eyes at his claim, but didn't deny its truth. "You can't possibly turn me down this time, not when there's such a good reason for us to go out."

"Who says I would have turned you down if you didn't have a good reason?"

"You wouldn't have?" he asked, his voice a mixture of surprise and hope, plus pleasure at the fact she'd just admitted she was accepting the invite.

"You'll never know," she grinned.

* * *

TBC...

Once again, thanks for the reviews. This is now the most reviewed fic I've written, proving that Castle fans really do rock!


	11. Chapter 11

Rick Castle was beginning to regret his impulsive decision to take Kate Beckett out for dinner. He wanted to celebrate with her, but he didn't want to cross the line from friends, not now that he knew he wasn't yet ready. That was one of the reasons he chose the location he did.

"You look great," he told Kate as she answered her door. She'd asked him how dressy she needed to be, pointing out that her arm was still in a cast, and all he'd told her was 'not too fancy'. He was dressed in dress slacks, a shirt and jacket, smart but still fairly casual. She'd opted for a dressy pants suit, co-incidentally choosing a striped blouse that almost matched his shirt.

"Thanks," she replied, stepping back to retrieve her purse and then exiting her apartment.

They made smalltalk as they headed for the street and the cab that Rick had kept waiting. She filled him in on her dad's worry about her returning to work so soon and Castle echoed the sentiment, though quickly stopped when he received a glare. Neither wanted to say too much, both enjoying the company and not wanting to push the boundaries.

The restaurant wasn't far from Broadway, but was an inscopicuous little place, somewhere you might just walk past if you didn't know it was there.

"My mother told me about it," Castle admitted when Kate pressed him for details as they persused the menu. "She used to come here after coming off stage, they stay open very late to capture the actor crowd."

"Have you eaten here before?"

"A couple of times." Her face fell a little and he added, "Only with Mother, though, when she's insisted I see her performance." The smile that graced her face as she acknowledged his words brought a smile to his own.

"So, it's really finished?" she asked as they ate their appetizers.

He nodded. "Yes, just waiting on the final edit requests, but should be completely finished by the end of next week." She mentally noted that he hadn't mentioned Gina by name, but didn't comment on the fact.

"And when do I get to read it?"

"As soon as I get a copy, you'll get a copy. Shouldn't be long until the initial print run."

"You'll get galleys though, right?"

Smiling, he nodded. "Yes, but you won't." She started to protest but he talked over her. "I want you to see the completely finished article, so you get the full effect."

"You need the high quality binding and glossy artwork to cover up the sloppy writing, huh?" she teased, laughing as he narrowed his eyes in a mock-glare.

"You're ready to go back to work on Monday?" he asked, changing the subject.

She took a sip of her water before answering. "Yes, I need to get back, I don't do well with sitting around the house."

"I noticed," he smirked. "I think the constant sighs of frustration were my first clue."

"I just need to convince the captain that chasing down leads will be a good way to get the fresh air and exercise required to help my lung to heal."

"If you manage to convince him of that, I'll give you the galleys to read," he promised, knowing there was no way Montgomery would ever agree to go against the doctor's advice and put her health in jeopardy, plus disqualify her from insurance by disobeying the restrictions. "I can always drop by and take you out to lunch in the park though, if you want fresh air and exercise."

There was a sarcastic retort on the tip of her tongue, but she bit it back. During her recovery they had often gone out for a walk and it had been nice. She needed to walk and he needed the break from writing, so they'd killed two birds with one stone. As much as she wanted to keep up the banter, she couldn't mock their walks, she'd enjoyed them too much.

"I'm sure I'll survive," she finally replied, though tempering her tone so he knew she wasn't turning down his offer completely.

The rest of the meal passed quickly, Castle eagerly discussing Alexis's imminent return and what he had planned for them and Beckett smiling at his obvious devotion to his daughter.

They shared a cab back to her apartment, and he accepted her offer of coffee, but he knew he shouldn't stay long. Despite her clearance for work, she was still recovering and taking painkillers that made her tired.

He chose not to sit on the couch beside her, opting instead for the other couch. They chatted a little, but it was nothing more than smalltalk, each of them now choosing their words carefully, so that it didn't feel like a date and wouldn't make them uncomfortable when he took his leave.

Beckett finally let out the yawn that she'd been holding back and Castle siezed the opportunity it provided.

"I'll let you get some sleep." He stood up and took his now empty coffee mug to the kitchen.

"Sorry, I'm not pushing you out," she apologized, following him.

"I know, but it's late and I need my beauty sleep," he grinned. "Thank you for the great company and conversation tonight."

"Thank you, too."

"So, can we repeat it sometime?" he asked with a hesitant smile.

"Sure," she replied and he felt his feelings start to surge to the surface again, wondering if she was taking the first step after all, but then it came crashing down. "When you finish your next book we'll definitely have to celebrate again, though hopefully I won't be celebrating a recovery then."

He smiled, though it was a little half-hearted and he mentally kicked himself for being weak and letting her affect him so quickly again. He was happy with the way things were, he just needed his heart to catch up to his brain. "I'm sure we can find something else to celebrate before then," he said eventually, recovering his composure. He shot her a devilish grin and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure you'll try," she agreed.

He walked to the door with her at his side. "Sleep well, Kate, and use tomorrow to relax while you still can." He turned so that he was facing her and stretched out his arm, before quickly taking it back. Touching her would not be wise, blurring the boundaries once again, just when clarity was crucial.

"Thanks, Castle, for everything," she said softly, giving him a warm smile as she held his gaze before he turned around and walked away.

* * *

TBC..

There's one more, very short, chapter to go...


	12. Chapter 12

"Welcome back, Beckett," called Captain Roy Montgomery as he saw his best detective exit the elevator and walk toward her desk. Her arm was still in a cast but the look on her face showed she was more than ready to be back at work.

"It's good to be back," she smiled, accepting the numerous 'good to see you' comments from her colleagues as she passed. Dropping her bag on her desk, she turned to see where Esposito and Ryan were, but both appeared to be absent.

"Beckett, when you have a moment," Montgomery said from his office doorway. She nodded and walked to join him, closing the door at his request.

It was nearly twenty minutes later when she emerged, having worked out the finer details of what her desk duty would entail. They had agreed that she could still run interrogations, though only with another detective present while she was still injured and she could, of course, work the murder board and chase down leads via the phone. She knew she would find it difficult to be restricted, but it was certainly better than being cooped up at home.

She sat down at her desk heavily and started flipping through the report the captain had given her. Ryan and Esposito were out tracking down a suspect and she wanted to get caught up on the case before they returned.

"Breakfast?" said a voice quietly in her ear. She stilled and watched as an arm clad in an expensive jacket reached over her shoulder to place a cup of coffee on her desk, quickly followed by a bear claw. As the arm retreated, the attached hand hovered for a moment, before briefly clasping her shoulder in a show of support.

"Castle, what are you doing here?" she asked, not turning to look at him. "I thought we agreed that I was going to return to work on my own."

"Oh, you meant you wanted the whole day on your own?" He feigned ignorance and she finally looked at him to give him a mock-glare as he dropped into his usual seat. "I thought you just wanted to make your _grand entrance_ alone." She rolled her eyes and his smirk grew bigger.

"What are you doing here?" she repeated. "I'm just going to be doing paperwork."

"Someone has to feed you," he replied, taking a bite of his own pastry.

"Will you ever change?" she sighed.

"No... and you wouldn't want me to either. We're good as we are."

After a long pause, she admitted, "Yes, we are."

Neither heard the other quietly whisper, "For now."

* * *

**The End**

So, there we have it. As much as I want to see Castle and Beckett together, I couldn't bring myself to write it, as neither are ready for that relationship yet, in my opinion.

A huge thank you once again to Tanya Reed for the fantastic beta.

Thank you for sticking with this story and for the reviews, plus those who added it to their alerts and favorites. It's been so long since I've written anything, I wasn't sure how it would go. I've been re-inspired though and am partway through writing another Castle fic.


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